Asskjnor op one



No. 749,835. PATENTBD JAN. 19, 1904. l

W. J. BELL. ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITGHING MEGHANISM.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

d JHM T... L E. B J. W

ELEGTROMEGHANICAL SWITCHING MBGHANISM.

-YAPPLIOATION FILED MAY 29, 1903.V

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Patented Januaiy 19, 1904.

UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

W'ALTER J. BELL. OF LOS AN(}ELES, ("fALlliOR'NIA. ASSIHNOR OIWONE- HALF TO LEON F. MOSS, OF LOS ANGELES, ALIFORNIA.

ELECTROIVIECHANICAL SWITCHING MECHANISNI.

SPECIFXCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,835, dated January 19, 1904,

Application led May 29, 1

Tol all whom it muy conc/ern.-

Be it known that I, 'WALTER J. BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromechanical Switching Mechanism; and I doi hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable -others skilled in the art to which it appertains anism capable of carrying my invention into effect; but from 4the wording of the concluding claims it will be obvious that I do not intend such specific disclosure t'o be regarded as any limitation, but desire to include all modifications which come within the broadest of the deiinitionsof theinvention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a switching mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view ofthe clutch with the members in engagement. Figs:

4 and 5 are` views showingmodiiications of the switch-tongue-throwing means.

' an electric motor.

In the drawings, 1 designates a casing, in which is supported an actuator 2, preferably On the shaft?) of the motor is fixed a worm 4: in mesh with a worm gearwheel 5, loose on a shaft 6. On the wheel 5 is an annular ange 7, constituting onev member of a friction-clutch. The othermember of the clutch consistsV of adivided ring 8,

the'sections of which are movably supported` from the shaft 6, with Whiclfthey rotate,`by a collar 9, fixed to the shaft, evers l() 10, pivoted at one end to ears on the ring-sections,

' and links' 11 11 affording iexible connections 903. Serial No. 159,268. KNO model.)

other ends of the levers are pivotally connected to ears on a sleeve 12, rotatable on a rod 13, but movable with thelatter, an annular groove 14 in the rod being engaged by pins 15, carried by the sleeve. The outer end of the rod is pivoted to a lever 16, fulcrumed at 17 and carrying at its free end an armature 18, normally in juxtaposed relation to the A coiled pole-piece of an electromagnet 19. spring 20, interposed between the armature lever and magnet, retracts said lever to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

On. the shaft 6 is keyed a drum 21, and 22 isv a caliile'or-chain wound at one end about the drum and passing through an opening in A the casing and through` an inclosingtube 23.

At the switch-tongue 24: is a box 25, into which vthe cable or chain leads after passing around a sheave 26 in the tube 23. The cable or chain is also passed around a sheave 27 in the box 25, after which it is attached to the inner bent end of a rod 28, slidabl y supported in thecbox and connected at its other end with the switch-tongiie. (foiled about the rod and interposed between the front box-wall and a tension-regulating col lar 29 is a switch-tongueretracting spring 30. i

31 is a feed-wire leading to 'one bindingpost of the electric motor 2, and a wire 32 leads from the other motor-post to the coils of the magnet 19. 33 is a wire leading from said coils to ground.v

In operation an operating-circuit is established through contact, for example, between the trolley-wheel of the car or train and an insulated section offthe trolley-wire or rail and current passing to the motor motion is imparted to the worm 4 and gear-wheel 5. The current also passes by the wire 32 to the magnet 19 and energizes thelatter, causing the attraction of the armature 18 and the movement of the lever 16 to force the rod 13 inwardlyr and expand'the' clutch member 8 against 'the clutch member 7 The clutch member 8 being fixed to the shaft 6 the latter and drum are set in motion to effect the winding of the cable or chain and the throw of the switch-tongue, as will be understood. After l between the levers and ears on the collar. The

` and a rod 38.

the car or train has traversed the switch the circuit is interrupted, for example, by a circuit-breaker in the trolley -wire, and the springs QOand 30, operate to retract the' parts for the next operation.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a construction of switch-throwing means comprised of the drum 21 and a short cable 34, wound thereon and connected with one end 'ofa switch-throwing lever 35 by a rod 36, a bell-crank lever 37, The lever 35 is arranged in a box 39 and is connected at its opposite end with the switch-tongue through. the medium of a rod 40, having av retraeting-spring '41.

Extending fromthe rear wall of the box is a' fulcrum-piece. 42, which provides the fulerum for the lever in the operation' of the switchv tongue by therotation of the drum. To permit free hand-switching of the ton-gue, the lever 35may be extended, as indicated at 43, `to provide a'handle, which is moved in the direction shown by the arrow to throw the tongue without .disturbing 'the automatic means.

Fig. 5 showsla construction forV moving the switch-tongue comprised of rotatable shafts 44 45, connected by beveled gearing 46, a threaded rod 47, carried by the tongue, and an internally -threaded head 48 on the-shaft 45.

Obviously the rods 44 45 are rotated in one direction to throw the switch-tongue and are reversely rotated toretract said tongue.

I claim as my invention'- l.y In a switching mechanism, a motor-operated member, a switch element, 'a'member connected with the`switch\element, to move the latter, a clutch between `the membervan`l` electromagnet, and an armature connected rwith the clutch and arranged to be moved by Said magnet.

l2. In a switching mechanism, an electricmotor-operated member, a switch element, a member connected with the switch element to move the latter, a friction-clutch between the members, an electromagnet, and a spring-retracted armature connected with the clutch and arranged to be moved by said magnet.

3. In a switching mechanism, an electric motor, a shaft, a gear member fixed to the motor-shaft, a gear member loose onthe-rstnamed shaft, anelectromagnet, an armature, a clutch .member on the last-named gear member, a clutch member fixed to the first-named shaft and connected with the armature, a switch -tong'ue, and means connecting the tongue andl the first-named shaft.

4. Ina switching mechanism, a motor-,operated gear member,- a shaft a gear member loose on said shaft and meshing with the aforesaid gear member and provided with a clutch member, a second clutch member fixedto the shaft, an armature operatively connected with the. second clutch member, aspring-retracted switch-tongue, adrum on the shaft, and connecting means between( the drum and tongue including a chain or cable.

5. In a switching mechanism, a motor-operated worm, a shaft carrying adrum, a worin gearwheel loose on the shaft and meshing with the worm, a friction-ring ori said wheel, aring' ixed to the' shaft and composed of sections expandible to engage said .ringaspring retracted lever connected with the expandible ring, an armature on said lever, a magnet arrangedv to attract the armature, a spring-retracted switch-tongue, and connecting means between the drum and tongue. v v

6. In a switching mechanism, a switchtongue, a lever connected at one end to said tongue, means connected with the opposite end vof the lever to move-it, and a projection engaging the lever intermediately and adapted to form a fulcrum in the movement of the lever.

7. In a switchingv mechanism, -a switchtongue, a spring-retracted lever connected at its upper end to said tongue, means connected `with the lower end of the lever to automatically move it, a projection servingas a fulcrum 4for the lever in its automatic movement, and an extensionv of said lever for effecting its movement by hand and independent of the automatic means. v

In testimonyI whereof I'aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER J. BRL. 

